Tuesdays
by jenniferjun1per
Summary: They came to dread Tuesdays. WARNING: Possible triggers for depression.


They came to dread Tuesdays.

Every other day of the week she was Anna — spirited, energetic, exuberant, happy. But on Tuesdays, she wasn't.

It was Elsa who noticed it first, Kristoff being away on an ice harvesting trip the first week and a half. They had reconnected on a Wednesday, so it was almost a full week before Elsa experienced it. In those first few days, Anna would come bounding into Elsa's room in the mornings before breakfast, plopping herself down on her sister's bed. They would chat and laugh, Elsa would sometimes shyly ask Anna to brush her hair. Anna would accept, sometimes a tad too excitedly, snagging her sister's hair accidentally and apologizing profusely, Elsa merely laughing and shrugging it off.

The first Tuesday, Elsa waited in her room, as usual. The bell rang for breakfast. Anna still hadn't come. Elsa hurriedly dressed and made her way to the dining room. Perhaps Anna had slept in and decided to go straight to breakfast. The dining room was empty.

Elsa ate silently, painfully aware something was amiss, but not knowing what it was or how to deal with it. She suddenly noticed that the table had only been set for one. She turned to ask Gerda about it but another servant was standing in Gerda's place.

She made her way quietly towards her sister's room, stepping gingerly on the floor, as if she was afraid to wake a sleeping giant. As she neared her sister's room, she saw Gerda exiting, closing the door softly behind her.

"Gerda?" She called out softly. Although Elsa spoke barely above a whisper, Gerda jumped.

"Your majesty! Forgive me, I was not expecting you there." Gerda held a hand up to her heart.

"I apologize for startling you." Elsa was not sure what to think of what was happening. "Gerda, what's going on? Is there something wrong? Is Anna sick?" There were so many more questions, but she decided to start with those.

Gerda sighed, and regarded the queen with a sad look.

"My dear majesty," She motioned for the queen to walk ahead of her, not wanting to talk right outside Anna's door.

"What is it Gerda?" Elsa stopped at an alcove a few steps away, not being able to hold out any longer.

"This is not my place to tell you this, but-" She clutched at her apron, twisting it nervously with her fingers, "Thirteen years is a long time." She whispered, dropping her gaze.

"What do you mean? Gerda, please tell me!" Elsa was growing frantic, she could feel the ice frosting on her fingertips.

"Oh Elsa," Gerda almost broke down, suddenly gripping Elsa's hands in hers, "It was on a Tuesday," she continued, her eyes growing misty, "when you shut your door."

* * *

><p>Kristoff came back from that first ice harvesting trip on a Monday. Anna came to greet him at the stables, jumping into his arms before he could even step off the sled. She talked animatedly at him, while he laughed and listened, stroking her hair and gazing into her eyes.<p>

Elsa pulled him aside at the first possible moment, gripping his arm and steering him into her study.

"Uh, your majesty, is something wrong?" He asked nervously, pulling his hat off of his sweaty head and kneading it roughly with his fingers. Elsa closed the door swiftly but silently behind him and let out a deep sigh, resting her forehead lightly on the door.

"Queen Elsa?" He tried again, when she didn't move an inch or make an attempt to answer his first question.

"Kristoff." She exhaled finally, shaking her head, "We have a big problem."

Kristoff felt a sudden attack of nerves hit him, as fresh sweat began to form at his temples, the beads threatening to make an escape down his face.

"Oh, well, um, it's not what you think, you see, we- uh- I mean, me, it was always me! Never Anna! Don't blame her! We just- I mean- I just- can't control myself… No! That sounds wrong, it's just that-"

"Kristoff!" Elsa whirled around to face him, her hand up in the air, "I don't want to hear about that right now, but trust me, we'll get to it at some point," Elsa grumbled, giving him a sidelong glance. Kristoff blushed to the tips of his toes.

"So what's the problem?" He cleared his throat, grateful for a chance to change the topic.

"It's Anna." Elsa sighed heavily, moving past Kristoff towards her desk.

"What's wrong with Anna?" He moved towards her, concern pressing on his features.

Elsa placed both of her hands palm down on her desk and leaned all of her weight down, her head bowing as she did so.

"She's- she's broken." Elsa whispered, her voice cracking on the last word.

"What do you mean?" Kristoff was confused. The Anna he met back at the stables upon his return was the exact same Anna he had left a week and a half earlier. "She seems perfectly fine to me."

Elsa turned to look at him, her face drawn and pale.

"Tomorrow. You'll see what I mean tomorrow. It always happens on Tuesdays."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Kristoff woke early and busied himself, knowing that Anna usually spent the time before breakfast with her sister. He visited Sven in the stables and brought him some carrots, checked the sled for any repairs it might need, then headed back to his room to clean up for breakfast.<p>

Even before he entered the dining room, he noticed the chill in the air. Opening the door, he saw Elsa sitting in her usual spot. A setting had been placed in his spot, but Anna's was empty.

* * *

><p>The two of them made their way towards Anna's room in silence, united in a common goal, but divided on how to reach it. Kristoff had wanted to confront her, while Elsa had wanted to wait until she came out on her own. In the end they decided to let Anna make the choice. They would knock on her door and ask.<p>

Kristoff reached the door first, his long strides were no match for the petite queen. He lifted his fist to knock, hesitated only a second, before he rapped resolutely on the door. There was no answer.

"Anna? Are you there? It's Kristoff." He paused to listen for an answer, a movement, anything. All that returned, was silence. "Anna, will you please open the door? Elsa and I would like to talk to you." Still nothing. Elsa looked nervously at Kristoff, motioning that they should go, but Kristoff was already turning the doorknob.

The first thing that struck them when they entered the room was the darkness. The heavy drapes had been drawn, keeping the bright morning sunlight at bay. Kristoff hadn't even realized there were drapes in that room in the first place, every time he had been in that room it was always bright and cheery, like Anna herself.

Once his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he moved towards the bed, with Elsa close at his elbow. From the dim light of the hallway he could see a figure lying on the bed, turned away from them. Elsa shuddered at his side, and he placed a reassuring hand on her arm to steady her.

Soon they had rounded the bed, and stood in front of her. Elsa was so nervous she had unwittingly started a light snowfall, and it took another squeeze from Kristoff's hand to center her.

Anna was lying on her right side close to the edge of the bed, on top of her covers, in the same outfit she had been wearing the previous day. Her hair was only slightly disheveled, but it was her eyes that made Elsa's breath hitch.

Her bright, beautiful eyes were open, but flat. Kristoff moved to kneel in front of her, and she continued to stare at nothing, as if she could see right through him.

"Anna." He took her hand in his and stroked it gently. At his touch, she started to come around, her eyes finally focusing. She looked at Kristoff, and comprehension began to appear on her face.

"Kristoff?" Her voice was still wrong, not peppy enough, not Anna.

"It's me. Elsa's here too." He motioned for Elsa to come closer and she did, taking one hesitant step forward. Once Elsa's face came into the dim light, Anna's expression changed.

"Elsa?" She sat up slowly, staring at her sister as if she were an apparition. Elsa's lip quivered, and she fidgeted with her hands, trying in vain to keep her power at bay. The snowfall started again, very sparsely at first, but soon fat snowflakes fell as her nerves got the better of her.

"Elsa," Anna said again, this time with a warmth that could light an entire room. "You're here." She took Elsa's hands in both of hers, and immediately the snowflakes disappeared. Elsa couldn't hold back any longer. Sobbing, she fell into Anna's arms, and the sisters held each other for a long time, Kristoff watching in reverent silence.

* * *

><p>Every Tuesday after that, Elsa and Kristoff would do the same thing. They would wake up, have breakfast, then head over to Anna's room. Usually Gerda would be leaving, having dropped off Anna's breakfast (which always remained untouched).<p>

Anna's reactions, however, would differ. Sometimes she would simply lie there, and any pleading or cajoling by either her sister or Kristoff would be ineffective. It would always be Elsa who would give up first, scared of pushing her too far. She would often have to drag Kristoff away, which took a lot of effort on her part.

Other times, and these were the times Elsa dreaded, she would react with anger. Kristoff made the mistake of opening the drapes once, and Anna flew into a rage. It was those times when Elsa felt grateful for Kristoff's size, as he would simply hold her, encompassing her in his broad embrace, until her screams turned to sobs and she clung to him as her cries subsided.

Sometimes, she would cry. These times, Elsa never wanted to go in, fearful that she wouldn't be able to withstand Anna's pain. Kristoff would always gently remind her that it was her presence that Anna needed, and she would tearfully agree. These times, Elsa would simply sit by Anna's side, and cry with her.

But the two never gave up, and soon enough the Tuesdays started to get a little better. Sometimes, she would acknowledge their presence. Sometimes she would even talk to them. And very rarely, sometimes she would smile.

* * *

><p>One Tuesday, Elsa lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. There was a heavy knock on her door.<p>

"Come in, Kristoff." She already knew it was him, and what he was going to say. The door opened, and Kristoff stepped resolutely into the room.

"Elsa, you missed breakfast." He tilted his head to look at her, and she could tell he was holding back.

"I wasn't hungry." She still stared at the ceiling, avoiding his gaze.

"Come on, it's time to go see Anna." He was a man with a mission, and clearly didn't have time for reticent snow queens. He moved forward to take her by the hand when Elsa suddenly sat up.

"It's hopeless, Kristoff." She held her head in her hands and her shoulders slumped. "I'm scared she'll never get over this. I'm scared she'll never forgive me."

Kristoff sat on the bed, quite aware that it wasn't proper for him to be there, but he didn't care. Propriety was the least of his worries that morning.

"Elsa, we can't give up on her now. You've seen she's making progress. We just have to keep going. We have to show her that there are people who love her. That you love her, and will always be there for her. That's what she needs. Elsa, I can't do this without you." Kristoff stood up and held out his hand, "Will you come with me?" Reluctantly, Elsa placed a shaking hand in his, and let him lead her to Anna's door.

* * *

><p>As they neared the door, Elsa's heart pounding as usual, they noticed it was slightly open. They exchanged startled glances, before Kristoff slowly pushed it open – and was suddenly assaulted by blinding white sunlight. They both stood in shock, blinking as their eyes adjusted.<p>

"Hi." Anna said in a weak voice. Both of them turned to look at her. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, still in the previous day's clothes, hair still disheveled. But what was most heartening to see, was the slight smile, and the barest hint of the sparkle in her bright blue eyes.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" She asked shyly, keeping her gaze towards the open window.

"It sure is." Kristoff and Elsa replied simultaneously. They looked at each other in surprise, laughing as they did so.

And the most beautiful sound of all, something they hadn't heard on a Tuesday in forever, was Anna joining in.


End file.
